WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3027/98 by Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE to the Commission. Admission of holders of Spanish postgraduate diplomas to A/ LA posts
Date: 1998-10-08
Institutions: ARIAS CANETE, European Parliament
Subjects: European official, Spain, administrator, competition (EU), diploma, higher education, recruitment

21.5.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 142/73

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 1998)

Article 7 of Parliament and Council Directive 97/67/EC of 15 December 1997 on common rules for the
development of the internal market for Community postal services and on the improvement of quality of
service (1) provides that the Commission shall put forward a proposal for a Directive on the further gradual
and controlled liberalisation of the postal-services market before the end of 1998.

Since that proposal must take place after a re-examination of this sector, it is necessary for the
Commission already to have received the conclusions of studies currently in progress on the impact of
the liberalising of certain postal services. Since these must have been completed towards the end
of October 1998, the Commission could thus be in a position to send its proposal to Parliament towards the
end of this year.

Although at this stage the Commission cannot reveal the content of its future proposal, more particularly
since it does not have in its possession the result of the studies currently taking place, it may nevertheless
assure the Honourable Member that it will take the fullest account possible of the position previously
adopted by Parliament on this matter.

(1) OJ L 15, 21.1.1998.

(1999/C 142/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3027/98

by Miguel Arias Cañete (PPE) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Admission of holders of Spanish postgraduate diplomas to A/LA posts

In his answer of 10 February 1998 to Written Question E-4186/97 (1) by Mrs Bárbara Dührkop,
Commissioner Liikanen stated that the Commission admits holders of Spanish postgraduate diplomas
which enable them to study for a doctorate to category A/LA posts in the European civil service. Why,
then, has the Commission not included this requirement in any of the notices of open competitions for
category A/LA posts in the European civil service?

(1) OJ C 304, 2.10.1998, p. 15.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 1998)

The Commission requires Spanish candidates to A/LA competitions to have a university degree giving
access to doctoral studies, as stated in answer to written question E-4186/97 (1) by Mrs Dührkop Dührkop.

Hitherto notices for A/LA competitions required candidates to have completed a course of university
education and obtained a degree or diploma. It was also stated that the ‘selection board will allow for
differences between education systems’. Competition notices also contain a guide for candidates, which,
in the section on education and diplomas, states that the level of education of the candidate will be checked
and assessed by the selection board and, if necessary, by specialists of the education system concerned.

In view of the range of education, diplomas and qualifications in the fifteen Member States, the
Commission uses a single formula applicable throughout the Community.

In any case, to avoid any confusion in future, in the latest notices of open competition COM/A/8/98 to
COM/A/12/98 the Commission included the sentence: only candidates with a university degree that could
give access to doctoral studies will be considered.

(1) OJ C 304, 2.10.1998.